Steering-wheel muff.



H. W. KIRBY.

STEERING WHEEL MUFF. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27. I915.

Patented Oct. 24, 1916.

rm: NORRIS pzrsns cc., wAsHnvnmN, n. c.

" brace various forms, such HENRY W. KIRBY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

STEERING-WHEEL MUFF.

mower.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Uct. 24L,- 1916.

Application filed March 2'7, 1915. Serial No. 17,533.

To all to 7mm it may, concern Be it known that I, HENRY W. KIRBY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county'of Cuyahoga and tate of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Steering-Wheel Mufiis, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

My invention appertains to a steeringwheel muff and particularly to a hand enveloper feasibly fitted to a steering-wheel of a self propelled conveyance capable of rapid and hence chilling movement whether on land, water or air.

The object is the provision of an article of the character stated which will efiectively inclose the steering control member excepting only a pair of openings for the insertion of the hands.

Another object is to make possible the desirable relative movement between the wheel and mufl'.

Some incidental objects are the fulfilment of the other objects in a simple and economical manner, contriving so as to have it easily attached or detached, and enabling the whole to be readily adjusted to size.

The inventive conception is associated with elements which are hereinafter explained and variously combined in the claim.

lVhile the annexed drawing and particular description thereof set forth the preferred and one modified form embodying my invention, it should be understood that the means merely exemplify some of many diversified mechanical forms with which the principle of my invention may be properly applied.

Adverting to the drawing, Figure I is a top plan of a preferred embodiment of my invention associated with a steering-wheel. F H is a side elevation of Fig. I. Fig. III is a view corresponding to Fig. 11, showing my mutl in vertical section. Fig. IV is a-bottom plan view of my muff detached. from the wheel.

While I have called my invention a steering-wheel muff and it appears in the drawing adapted to such purpose, it should be understood that the same is intended to emas may be suited to any kind of control member which is subject to manipulation.

' portion as is along The preferred form of my invention which is depicted in Figs. 1 to IV inclusive is manufactured of any pliable textile material. padded or otherwise lined, as may be found best suited for commercial purposes. It will be noticed that the structure is as a whole of approximately rounded design having a top portion 1 and a correspondingly shaped bottom portion 2. As shown, these parts are intimately connected and'include a forward arcuate edge 3 and side edges 4: terminating in gores 5. The rear edges of both portions are substantially straight and separated so as to be open to the interior. Accordingly, the rear end of my muff includes an upper edge 6 and a pair of complementary under edges 7 and S incident to the provision of a slot 9 which extends forward to the approximate middle of the bottom portion 2 to merge into an enlarged circular opening 10. This is clearly shown in Fig. IV. The opening 10 is intended for the reception of the housing H of the steering post upon which the steering-wheel W is surmounted. As will be readily understoodthe slot 9 is required to permit the insertion of the housing H in the opening 10.

A further inspection of Fig. IV will reveal along the edge 6 on opposite sides of its middle a pair of studs 11 and 12 projecting downward from the upper portion 1, and these constitute the male parts of the ordinary type of glove snap and are intended to cooperate with the female caps 13 and 1 1 respectively as secured to the bottom portion 2 near its rear edge 7 and on opposite sides of the slot 9. When the upper and lower rear edge portions of the mud as a whole are thus secured together the hands of the driver may be inserted laterally between the snaps and the gores 5. So much of the bottom one edge of the slot 9 is extended beyond what would ordinarily be required to meet the opposite edge of the slot 9 whereby to constitute a flap 15. This flap has the usual function, namely to extend across and cover the slot 9, in which position a set of three hollow caps 16 are adapted each to cooperate with one stud of a similarly spaced set on the opposite side of the slot 9. As shown, there are three sets of studs, 17 18 and 19 respectively, by means of which the measure of constriction of the muff, when closed, is to acertain extent ad justable in addition to the up and down leeway afiorded by the gores. It should be un- (lei-stood that when attached to envelop a steering-Wheel, my mutt is readily rotatable about the same, independently of and hence relatively to any rotation imparted to the Wheel.

I claim As a new article of manufacture, a hollow steering-Wheel muff having an open end and an opening for receiving the steering Wheel post; gores on opposite sides of said mufi, Overlapping and adj ustably secured flaps de- Copies of this'patent may be obtained. for five cents each, by addressing the HENRY W. KIRBY. Attested by DE L. G. Moon, CUn'r B. MUELLER.

Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

